Container for use in space ships



Dec. 6, 1966 H. E. FRANKENBERG 7 3 CONTAINER FOR USE IN SPACE SHIPOriginal Filed Nov. 6, 1962 INVENTOR HENRY EfFx-zmmenaam ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,289,827 CONTAINER FOR USE IN SPACE SHIPS Henry E.Frankenberg, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc.,New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Nov. 6,1962, Ser. No. 235,687, now Patent No. 3,227,308, dated Jan. 4, 1966.Divided and this application Oct. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 403,870 10 Claims.(Cl. 206-47 This application constitutes a division of my copendingcommonly assigned application for US. Letters Patent, Serial No.235,687, filed November 6, 1962, and now Patent No. 3,227,308.

This invention relates to a container for use in manned space ships,space-capsules, and other spacecraft Whether in sub-orbital, orbital orinterplanetary flight.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel combined container,tube, and protector sleeve which are united in a compact manner and arereadily disassembled and reassembled to form a device particularlyadapted for dispensing preferably an edible product from the interior ofthe container through a nipple of the tube.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel container and aprotective element adapted to overlie a separate edge remaining upon theremoval of a closure of the container, the protective element beingshaped to conform to and carried by a seam securing the closure to abody of the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel kit formed of acontainer, a folded tube, and an annular protector sleeve, the latterthree elements being united in a compact manner and readily disassembledfor reassembly into a dispensing device.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of a container, a protector sleeve, and afolded extensible tube, and illustrates the protector sleeves secured toan end of the container.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 22of FIGURE 1, and illustrated a piece of tape securing the protectorsleeve to a double seam of the container.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the container illustrated inFIGURE 1 and shows an opening formed by the removal of an upperend ofthe container, and the tube unfolded and surrounding the exterior of abody of the container.

FIGURE 4 is an inverted vertical sectional view of the container andtube illustrated in FIGURE 3 and illustrates two removed portions of thecontainer closure seated upon contents within the container andprotector sleeve overlapping a severed edge formed by the removal of oneof the closure portions.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view with a portion brokenaway and shown in side elevation, and illustrates a portion of the tubesealed at an end thereof.

With the advent of manned flights into space, devices which haveheretofore been designed for use under atmospheric conditions haveproved to be ineflicient under simulated and actual space flightconditions. The absence.

of gravity, with its inherent effect of weightlessness, and the presentlimitations in the size of spacecraft requires that such devices bespecifically designed for use in space.

Among such devices are containers which must be of a relatively compactsize, contamination-proof, capable of being easily manipulated, andsufficiently inexpensive to be discarded after a single use.

Patented Dec. 6, 1966 A device constructed with the above-mentionedobjects and limitations in mind is best illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2of the drawings, and is generally referred to by the reference numeral9.

The device 9 comprises a container 10, a folded extensible tube or bag11, a protector sleeve 20 and a piece of tape 23 assembled in a compactmanner. The container 10 includes a cylindrical tubular body 12, a firstclosure 13 and an identical second closure 14. The closures 13 and 14 ofthe container 10 are secured to the body 12 by double seams 15, as isbest illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Each of the closures 13 and 14 includes a recessed end wall 16integrally joined by an annular radius 17 to a chuck wall 18 of thedouble seam 15. The body 12 and the closures 13 and 14 are preferablyconstructed from tinplate, but may also be formed from aluminum orsimilar lightweight sheet metal.

The removable protector sleeve 20 is nested in the lower recess closure14 of the body 12, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 2. The protectorsleeve 20 includes a peripheral wall 21 and a radially outwardlydirected integral curl 22. The protector sleeve 20 is preferablyconstructed of plastic material, but may be made of metal and isdimensioned to snap-fit upon the seam 15 within the lower recessedclosure 14 in the manner clearly illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The tape 23, which is preferably pressure-sensitive scotch tape,overlaps the curl 22 of the protector sleeve 20 and the seam 15 of thebody 12 to adhesively secure the protector sleeve 20 within the lowerrecessed closure 14. The piece of tape 23 and the protector sleeve 20are adapted for disassembly with respect to the container 10 andsubsequent reassembly for purposes to be de scribed more fullyhereafter.

The extensible expelling tube 11 includes a cylindrical tubular body 24,an open bottom end 25 and an upper annular shoulder portion 26. Atapered end portion 27 is integrally joined to the annular shoulderportion 26 and terminates in open, pliable, dispensing spout or nipple28. The extensible expelling tube 11 is preferably constructed of a thinflexible plastic material and is stored in its folded form of FIGURE 1by being suitably secured within the recessed end closure 13 or the endclosure 14 of the container 10. Suitable means such as the pressuresensitive tape 23 or other conventional securing devices may be employedto secure the folded tube 11 in either of the recess closures 13 or 14.The folded tube 11 can also be stored in a chamber of the spacecraft,but it is readily apparent that the storage of the tube 11 as a part ofthe device 9 is more efficient from the standpoint of reducing thelimited storage space of spacecraft.

The device 9 is disassembled and reassembled for dispensing contents Cfrom within the container 10- in the manner sequentially illustrated inFIGURES 3 through 5 of the drawings.

Referring first to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the piece of tape 23 andthe protector sleeve 20 are first removed from the end closure 14 of thecontainer 10. The folded tube 11 is removed either from the recessedclosure 13 or the closure 14, depending on where the folded tube 11 wasoriginally stored.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, a major portion ofthe end wall 16 of the closure 13 is severed by suitable means, such asa conventional can opener, and removed from within the confines of thecontainer 10. The expelling tube 11 is unfolded and the open bottom end25 thereof is telescoped downwardly along the exterior of the containerbody 12. The annular shoulder portion 26 of the expelling tube 11 seatsupon the double seam 15 of the body 12 and accurately aligns the pliabledispensing spout 28 axially of the body 12.

3 The piece of tape 23 which was removed from the position thereofillustrated in FIGURE 2 is applied to the expelling tube 11 adjacent theseam 15 to secure the expelling tube 11 to the body 12 of the container10.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the container is inverted and a major portion ofthe end wall or panel 16 of the closure 14 is severed therefrom. Sincethe container is opened in space, the absence ofgravity precludes thecontents C from falling down through the nipple 28 in the positionillustrated in FIGURE 4, and the severed portion of the end wall 16 mustbe manually placed upon the contents C. The heretofore removed end wall16 of the recessed closure 13 is then placed upon and in abutment withthe removed portion of the end wall 16 of the closure 14. The resilientprotector sleeve 20 is then snapped upon the seam of the lower recessedclosure 14 and overlies a severed peripheral edge 30 of the closure 14for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

While the container 10 is still in the inverted position illustrated inFIGURE 4, the extensible expelling tube 11 is drawn upwardly and thebody 24 thereof conforms generally to the configuration of the body 12of the container 10, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 5. The open bottomend 25 of the extensible tube 11 is then heat-sealed by a suitablesealing mechanism (not shown) to form the sealed edge 31.

The container 10 is then again inverted to the original upright positionshown in FIGURE 3 and inserted into an ejector mechanism (not shown)forming no part of this invention, which dispenses the contents C fromthe body 12 through the nipple 28. The ejector mechanism includes aplunger (also not shown) which advances into the interior of the body 12from the direction of the heat sealed edge 31 of the tube 11 drawingthis bottom portion of the tube 11 into the body 12. The protectorsleeve overlying the severed edge 30 prevents the tube 11 from beingtorn or ruptured by the edge 30 during the drawing of the tube into thecontainer body and the dispensing of the contents C through the nipple28.

While an example of a novel device which is readily disassembled andreassembled for use as a dispenser is disclosed herein, it is to beunderstood that changes in the disclosed structures and elements, aswell as their use, may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of an assembled container, an extensible tube and aprotector sleeve adapted for disassembly and re-assembly to form adispensing device; said container including a pair of axially oppositecompletely closed ends, means securing said protector sleeve to theexterior of said container, means securing said extensible tube to theexterior of said container, one of said closed ends of said containerincluding a removable end wall whereby said container end wall isadapted to be removed and said one-closed container end opened, saidprotector sleeve being of a size to overlie a portion of the opened endof the container to preclude rupture of the extensible tube upon itsinsertion through the open container end, and the means securing theprotector sleeve to the closed end of the container being removable andreusable to secure the extensible tube to the exterior of the containeradjacent one of said ends.

2. The combination of an assembled container, a folded extensible tube,and a protector sleeve adapted for disassembly and reassembly to form adispensing device; said container being defined by a body of apredetermined diameter and having two closed ends, said protector sleevebeing disposed entirely exteriorly of and secured to the exterior of oneof said closed ends, said folded extensible tube being also disposedentirely exteriorly and secured to the exterior of one of said closedends, and said extensible tube being of a size sufiicient to interiorlyreceive said body whereby upon the removal of said two closed ends, theprotector sleeve overlies a portion of the container to preclude ruptureof the extensible tube upon its insertion through an open end of thecontainer.

3. The combined container, extensible tube and protector sleeve asdefined in claim 2 wherein said closed ends are recessed, and saidfolded extensible tube is housed by one of said recessed ends.

4. The combination of an assembled container, a folded extensible tube,and a protector sleeve adapted for disassembly and reassembly to form adispensing device; said container having two closed ends, said protectorsleeve being secured to one of said closed ends, said folded extensibletube being also secured to one of said closed ends, said protectorsleeve being of an annular configuration and being snap-fit upon saidcontainer.

5. The combined container, extensible tube and protector sleeve asdefined in claim 4, including removable and reusable means foraugmenting the snap-fit securement of the protector sleeve to thecontainer.

6. An assembly particularly adapted for use in manned spacecraftcomprising a container body and an annular protector sleeve, saidcontainer body having opposite closed ends, at least one of said endsbeing recessed to define a peripheral axially projecting portion of saidbody, said annular protector sleeve being contoured to the configurationof the projecting portion and attached thereto whereby upon the removalof said at least one end the protector sleeve can be positioned toprotectively overlav a remaining severed edge of the container body, andsaid protector sleeve being attached to said projecting portion by aremovable and reuseable adhesive strip.

7. The combination of a container, a folded extensible tube, and aprotector sleeve, said container including a container body havingopposite recessed ends, one of said ends forming a portion of a closurejoined to a body of said container by a connecting portion, saidprotector sleeve at least partially overlying said connecting portion,and means securing said folded extensible tube to the end of saidcontainer opposite said one closed end.

8. An assembled package adapted for disassembly and reassembly to form adispensing device comprising a container, said container including acontainer body having closures at opposite ends thereof, a seam securingeach of said closures to said container body, each of said closuresbeing recessed and including an end wall, an annular protector sleevesecured to one of said seams and a folded extensible tube secured to oneof said ends.

9. An assembled package adapted for disassembly and reassembly to form adispensing device comprising a container, said container including acontainer body having closures at opposite ends thereof, a peripheralseam securing at least one of said closures to said container body, saidat least one closure being recessed and including an end wall, anannular protector sleeve seated upon said seam, means securing saidannular protector sleeve upon said seam, and a foldable extensible tubehoused in said recessed closure and secured thereto.

10. The combination of a container, an extensible folded tube, and anannular protector sleeve adapted for disassembly and reassembly to forma dispensing device, said container including a container body and atleast one recessed closed end wall united to said container body at aseam, means securing said annular protector sleeve to said seam of saidcontainer, said folded extensible tube being housed in said recessedclosed end wall, means securing said extensible folded tube in thehoused position thereof, saidcontainer including another end wall, andone of said end walls including a removable portion whereby saidcontainer is adapted to be opened and said protector sleeve ispositionable to overlie a portion of the opened end of the container topreclude rupture of the extensible tube upon its insertion through theopen container 6nd during a dispensing operation.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner3,050,216 8/1962 Norris 222-530 X UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,1 7,031 10/1963 Adams 222-1 1/1934 Bennett 2 6- 5 227,068 3/ 1960 Australia. 8/1942 Taylor 206-47 8/ 1948 Hirschhorn 53-14 THERON E. CONDON, PrimaryExaminer.

12/1949 Irrnscher 53--14 10/1952 carpenter 220*906 M. HENSON WOOD, JR.,MARTHA L. RCE,

7/1959 Simkins 222-530 X 5/1962 Thomas 222 1 10 I. N. ERLICH, AsszszantExammer.

2. THE COMBINATION OF AN ASSEMBLED CONTAINER, A FOLDED EXTENSIBLE TUBE,AND A PROTECTOR SLEEVE ADAPTED FOR DISASSEMBLY AND REASSEMBLY TO FORM ADISPENSING DEVICE; SAID CONTAINER BEING DEFINED BY A BODY OF APREDETERMINED DIAMETER AND HAVING TWO CLOSED ENDS, SAID PROTECTOR SLEEVEBEING DISPOSED ENTIRELY EXTERIORLY OF AND SECURED TO THE EXTERIOR OF ONEOF SAID CLOSED ENDS, SAID FOLDED EXTENSIBLE TUBE BEING ALSO DISPOSEDENTIRELY EXTERIORLY AND SECURED TO THE EXTERIOR OF ONE OF SAID CLOSEDENDS, AND SAID EXTENSIBLE TUBE BEING OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO INTERIORLYRECEIVE SAID BODY WHEREBY UPON THE REMOVAL OF SAID TWO CLOSED ENDS, THEPROTECTOR SLEEVE OVERLIES A PORTION OF THE CONTAINER TO PRECLUDE RUPTUREOF THE EXTENSIBLE TUBE UPON ITS INSERTION THROUGH AN OPEN END OF THECONTAINER.